Benitez sets his sights on Manchester City

By Al Hain-Cole

The Chelsea manager is wary of the chasing pack in the race for a top-four finish, but believes that his side are more than capable of catching the champions

Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez admits the race for Champions League qualification will go right down to the wire, but sees no reason why his side cannot think about overhauling Manchester City in second place.

The Blues are currently sitting four point behind the champions, and have a five-point cushion between themselves and fifth-placed Arsenal.

And while Benitez knows his team can afford to take nothing for granted, he is confident they boast the quality to snatch a runners-up spot in the Premier League.

"I think that I would like to see if [we] can reduce the gap or think like this, but I'm sure they will be concerned like we are concerned about Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton," he told reporters.

"It's just to know where they are, but the main thing is you are a team. If you can do things in the way that we were doing before.

"The last week we were training very well and we were competing really well and the team was playing very good football, so if you can keep all these things and this momentum, I will not be worried about the other teams. I will be just watching Manchester City."

Benitez's side travel to St Mary's to face Southampton on Saturday, before playing host to Manchester United in Monday's FA Cup replay.